I Became an All-round Artist

The vice president of the art club, Shen Liang, had been painting in a private room next door. When he needed a break, he occasionally came out for a stroll. This time, however, he noticed a crowd gathered together in the main hall.

This wasn’t unusual for the art club.

Whenever a master artist was sketching in the main hall, a crowd of members would often gather around, hoping to pick up some skills through close observation. But today, none of the club's usual masters were around, so what was this crowd watching?

Curious, Shen Liang approached.

The crowd parted to make way for him.

As soon as Shen Liang saw Lin Yuan’s drawing, his eyes widened in shock. It took him a moment to realize that this was the new member he had asked to clean earlier.

Was this level of skill from a beginner?
Someone who had just started drawing this year?

Shen Liang was stunned, finding it hard to believe that Lin Yuan was new to drawing. The skill displayed in this sketch was top-tier, even among the best in the art club.

But that wasn’t the most important part.

What mattered was that the club had gained another sketching master!

Shen Liang quickly stepped forward and extended his hand to Lin Yuan. “I’m Shen Liang, the vice president. On behalf of the art club, welcome!”

"Hi, I'm Lin Yuan," Lin Yuan replied, shaking his hand.

Shen Liang glanced around. “Alright, everyone, go back to your work.”

The crowd reluctantly took one last look at Lin Yuan’s drawing before dispersing, though Zhong Yu stayed behind.

“What are you still doing here?” Shen Liang asked.

Zhong Yu sheepishly responded, “This is my seat.”

Shen Liang didn’t pay him any more attention, turning back to Lin Yuan with a smile. “Your sketching is exceptional. If you ever want a quieter space to work, feel free to use the private room next door.”

The private rooms were reserved for the club’s master artists. They were small, but with so few masters in the club, they were more than spacious enough and offered privacy from the crowds.

“No need,” Lin Yuan declined, then turned to Zhong Yu. “Let’s count that as an hour.”

Zhong Yu immediately responded, “Master, add me on social media. I’ll transfer the money to you.”

“Sure,” Lin Yuan agreed, and shortly after, he received a payment of 300 yuan.

“Three hundred?”

“No need to be modest, Master.”

“Alright,” Lin Yuan nodded.

Shen Liang, standing nearby, was confused. “What’s this about?”

Zhong Yu explained, “I paid him to teach me sketching. It’s 200 yuan per hour.”

Shen Liang: “...”

This was the first time something like this had happened in the club. Technically, he should reprimand them, but not wanting to upset Lin Yuan, he let it slide. It wasn’t every day that the club gained a master of Lin Yuan’s caliber.

“200 per hour?”
Several club members overheard Zhong Yu’s comment and grew excited. “Master, teach me next! I’ll pay!”

“Maybe next time,” Lin Yuan replied. Though he wanted to earn more, he had class in the afternoon and didn’t have much time.

“Could we talk privately for a moment?” Shen Liang asked.

Lin Yuan agreed, and they moved to the private room next door.

The room was empty, aside from a few easels, some holding unfinished works—sketches, gouache, watercolors, oil paintings, and even traditional Chinese paintings.

Shen Liang asked, “Would you mind if we displayed your recent work on the club’s exhibition wall?”

“Sure,” Lin Yuan agreed, then got straight to the point. “I heard the club participates in some exhibitions. Can I join?”

“With your skill, absolutely,” Shen Liang said, already guessing that Lin Yuan had joined the club with this goal in mind. “I’ll be sure to inform you before the next event.”

...

After exchanging contact information with Shen Liang, Lin Yuan headed off to class. As he walked, he summoned his system to check his stats.

[Name: Lin Yuan]
[Music: 52,345]
[Literature: 19,658]
[Drawing: 98]

His drawing reputation had increased to 98.

It seemed his visit to the art club had earned him some recognition. Although the number wasn’t high, it was progress, and he believed it would accumulate over time.

This confirmed that his strategy was correct. Slowly gaining reputation among students would eventually bring him to his goal of 1,000 points, though it might take some time.

But that didn’t bother him.

As long as he could make some money along the way, the wait was worth it. After all, this task had a generous time limit.

With this mindset, Lin Yuan returned to the art club later that evening.

Unlike his earlier entrance, where he was asked to clean, this time, Lin Yuan was met with curious stares. Some members had seen him at noon and witnessed his sketching skills.

As he walked in, he noticed a large display board on one of the walls. He hadn’t paid much attention to it earlier.

The board showcased works from the club’s master artists: watercolors, gouache, oil paintings, and traditional Chinese paintings, all represented. Among them, Lin Yuan’s difficult sketch from the afternoon was now on display, with his name and the date written beside it.

After admiring the works for a moment, Lin Yuan nodded in approval. The club’s top artists were highly skilled. There were several pieces on display that Lin Yuan found impressive, especially one traditional Chinese painting and an oil painting, both of which had reached a professional level.

In other words, the artists behind them were as skilled as he was.

At that moment, a voice interrupted his thoughts. “Master, I’ve been waiting for you.”

Lin Yuan turned to see Zhong Yu.

“Teach me, please,” Zhong Yu said eagerly.

Lin Yuan nodded. “Same terms as before.”

“Deal,” Zhong Yu agreed without hesitation.

Lin Yuan sat down and began teaching Zhong Yu sketching techniques. This time, Zhong Yu did the drawing while Lin Yuan provided guidance. Zhong Yu had decent skills but lacked clear direction for improvement.

With Lin Yuan’s expert eye, he could easily identify Zhong Yu’s weaknesses and began coaching him step by step.

“Thank you, Master,” Zhong Yu said two hours later, as the lesson ended and Lin Yuan prepared to head home.

Zhong Yu smiled, “I’ve sent over 400 yuan.”

Lin Yuan nodded, appreciating his straightforwardness.

Over the next few days, whenever he had free time, Lin Yuan would visit the art club to boost his reputation. Each time he went, he also conducted paid lessons.

Zhong Yu, seemingly well-off, became his most frequent student. But whenever Zhong Yu wasn’t around, Lin Yuan would teach other club members.

It turned out that Zhong Yu wasn’t the only one willing to pay for lessons.

Of course, Lin Yuan charged all the members the same rate—200 yuan per hour, without exception.

In less than a week, Lin Yuan’s reputation had spread throughout the entire art club!

Everyone in the club now knew that they had a new sketching master in their midst with extraordinary talent.

But as Lin Yuan’s fame grew, so did the controversy surrounding him.

Some members felt that Lin Yuan was too money-driven. The other masters in the club occasionally offered guidance for free, so Lin Yuan charging for lessons seemed crass in comparison.

Eventually, a group of members couldn’t stand it any longer.

They decided to report Lin Yuan to the club president...

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